by N/A
That's why, seeing the village chief arrive, Cui-shi's complexion was very ugly.
"Village chief, you came!" The villagers, seeing Li Ming Fu approaching, all successively greeted him.
Li Ming Fu limped over, and nodded his head in response to the villagers. After spotting Niu Jing, he went forward and cupped his hand in greeting towards him.
"Village chief, thank you for coming." Niu Jing returned the courtesy towards Li Ming Fu, and said with a smile.
"You're too kind, the matters in the village, I ought to come take charge of." Li Ming Fu said smiling, then turned and asked Du Xiao Li, "And just what is going on here?"
Earlier, when the villager ran to him saying that Niu Jing invited him to go uphold justice, he was so shocked that he shot up from the chair at once and hastily followed the person over. In the beginning, when first Niu Jing arrived, that very distant head commissioner relative had repeatedly reminded him that he must take good care of Niu Jing, and by all means, don't offend him. Although the county's head commissioner didn't explain why, he also guessed that Niu Jing's identity wasn't simple.
This time was Niu Jing's first time sending someone to find him since returning. He naturally needed to come, and also needed to properly oversee this matter!
Cui-shi finally saw Niu Jing who was standing behind the crowd. Didn't expect that he was also present. Then her appearance just now was all seen by him?
Seeing the village chief arrive, Du Fu quickly went in the house to get a stool for him to sit.
"Village chief, we invited you here today to ask you to make an appraisal for us." Du Xiao Li said.
"Oh? What appraisal?" Li Ming Fu asked. He looked to Du Xiao Li and discovered that this girl was different from before.
"It's like this, in the beginning, when my mother was sick, we borrowed twenty taels of silver from eldest uncle's family. Not long after my mother was buried, eldest aunt used our family's house as collateral to pay back the debt. Not only that, she even embezzled all of our furniture, and didn't let us take anything at all. Right now, we want to ask village chief to give us an appraisal, is that house of ours really not even worth twenty taels that we even need to use the furnitures as collateral." Du Xiao Li concisely and comprehensively had the matter explained.
Li Ming Fu looked to Cui-shi and Du Fu. As soon as he'd learned of this matter, he'd been wanting to come find this couple for a talk, but never came to find them. Right now was the perfect opportunity to have that talk with them. "That year, when it finished building, Du Fu and I had helped him settled the bills, in total spent about thirty some taels of silver, no?"
Under Li Ming Fu's gaze, Du Fu had no choice but to nod. Cui-shi at the time also knew of this matter. That's why, even though she opened her mouth, nothing came out.
Seeing Du Fu nod, Li Ming Fu continued speaking, "Du Hai's house has only been built for seven to eight years, the damages would only cost a few taels of silver, how come when it came to you all, it's not even worth twenty taels?!"
"Village chief, we...."
Du Fu wanted to speak, but was cut off by Li Ming Fu's glare. "As Du Hai's brother, in the time when his wife's corpse hasn't even grown cold, had his children kicked out of their home and even didn't allow them to take their things, this kind of conduct, Xiu Heng and his sister can report you all for forcibly occupying their family property!"
"Village chief, we can't be considered forcibly occupying their family property either. Their family borrowed our money, didn't have the money to pay it back, thus used the house to pay back the debt. This is something right and proper, right?" Cui-shi couldn't sit still anymore and retorted Li Ming Fu.
"Even if you want to use the house as collateral, you all should also compensate them the excess money, and furthermore, return their furniture to them." Li Ming Fu said. "Or you all want to wait until they report you for forcibly occupying their family property? If that's the case, the head commissioner will come accept my statement, when that time comes, they will still get their property back, and you all might get locked up in prison."
Feng Ming has laws set, where embezzling someone else's family property, will get one sentenced. That's why Li Ming Fu isn't just saying things to scare them either.
As soon as Cui-shi and Du Fu heard they might get sent to prison, their imposing manner was cut in half. Then thinking again, if they were to offend the village chief, what to do if he doesn't give them the rights to development in the rear forest later? Thinking it like this, even Cui-shi didn't have anything to say.
"How about it? Have you decided what to do?" Li Ming Fu asked as he knocked his pipe against the edge of the stool.
Cui-shi and Du Fu glanced to each other and reluctantly side through their teeth, "Alright, we'll just let them take back the things in the house."
"This isn't enough. You're not going to count the price difference of that house?" Li Ming Fu said with a steady face.
"Then what does village chief say we do?" Du Fu asked.
"If I have to say, you all should just let them move out the things inside the house, and then give them five taels of silver. Afterwards, this matter will be considered settled." Li Ming Fu said.
Since Du Xiao Li and her brother indeed did borrow their money, to want to demand back the house, Cui-shi definitely wouldn't agree. Fortunately, that house on the mountains could still be used to live in, just give them a bit of money then.
"This...." Cui-shi still wanted to haggle over the price once more, but was stopped by Du Fu.
"Since that's the case, we'll listen to village chief. We'll compensate them five taels of silver, and have their furniture returned to them. In the future, no one is allowed to use this matter again to say anything."
"Alright, today your fellow villagers and I will bear witness, this matter will be settled like this. You all give Xiu Heng five taels of silver, then afterwards, everyone will all help then move their things. Looking at these two little bodies, they definitely won't be able to carry anything." Li Ming Fu said as he stood up, and shouted to the villagers, "Men of Du village, now should be your time to shine. Whoever dares to slack off or is unwilling, I will kick him into the river for a bath!"
"Hahaha, village chief, we all came for this!" The villagers heard the village chief's words and burst into laughter.
Du Fu went in and brought out five taels of silver unwillingly. After Du Xiu Heng got the money, he and Du Xiao Li faced the village chief and thanked him, "Thank you village chief for upholding justice for us!"
"Haha, you two little brats, quickly go and directly them in moving the things for you. First move what you need today, the rest you can just move tomorrow. This old bag won't be going to help, and will be heading back first." Li Ming Fu smilingly said.
"Village chief is going back? Then this old bones also won't be going to join in on the fun. I still have a guest at my home, so I'll go back with you first."
"Haha, let's go, let's go." After village chief said this, he and doctor Niu left together.
"Oh no, I forgot to give the medicine money!" By the time Du Xiu Heng remembered to pay by Niu Jing, he'd already gone far. He can only just return it tomorrow when he has the time.
When Niu Jing returned to his own home, a twelve to thirteen year old boy was currently standing at the door looking out. Handsome features, a pale white face, and even if it was already early summer, he was still wrapped in a water blue brocade gown. Seeing Niu Jing bowing to him, he softly said, "Here isn't the capital, so doctor Niu doesn't need to perform these meaningless courtesies. Also to avoid outsiders from detecting anything."
"Yes." Niu Jing stood up and looked to Han Ming Yi, "Young master, you just arrived here today. Tonight, properly rest up first. Tomorrow we can begin."
"Alright." Han Ming Yi nodded, and entered the house first.
[1] These are the four classes of ancient China; government officials are counted the same as scholars
Ch. 008 – First Meeting
Fir
st Meeting
The next day, when it was almost noon, Du Xiao Li came to Niu Jing's house.
"Grandpa Niu, are you home?" Du Xiao Li stood outside the bamboo fence of Niu Jing's yard and shouted towards the house.
Niu Jing came our from the house and saw Du Xiao Li, saying with a smile, "It's Xiao Li ah, quickly come in."
"Alright, grandpa Niu." Du Xiao Li sweetly replied, then opened the bamboo gate and walked in. She saw that in the central room, there was the addition of a guifei couch that wasn't there before, and on it lied a twelve to thirteen year old boy. Next to him even stood two eighteen nineteen year old men, both dressed in all black. At a glance, she could already tell this boy's body wasn't normal. However, it had nothing to do with her. She looked to Niu Jing and said, "Grandpa Niu, are you busy right now?"
"Already done now. Xiao Li, aren't you all busy with moving things? How come you've come?" Niu Jing had just treated Han Ming Yi's illness and was currently resting right now.
Du Xiao Li handed the half of hare in her hands to Niu Jing and said, "This is what I caught yesterday when I entered the mountain. Big brother said the taste of wild mountain hare is pretty good, so specially came over to give grandpa Niu half. Also, at the same time, let me pay back the medicine fee we owe from before."
Niu Jing accepted the hare that was already cleaned, and one of the men in black behind Han Ming Yi then went forward to accept it, taking it to the kitchen to the side.
Du Xiao Li took out a piece of silver and passed it to Niu Jing. This time, Niu Jing didn't refuse and accepted it. Afterwards, he poured Du Xiao Li a cup of water and asked, "How are things over there?"
"Majority of things are mostly taken care of, uncle Shi and uncle Shi Er are all helping us move things. Just that house in the mountains is too small, unable to fit everything." Du Xiao Li was also thirsty, and after accepting the water cup, gulped down the water in mouthfuls. Only when she finished drinking, did she finally answer Niu Jing's question.
Yesterday evening, because the time was too short, not everything was moved back. However, luckily there were a lot of people, and after moving back and forth twice, what remained, wasn't much. This morning, Shi Da and Shi Er, and also a few other former neighbors, all came to help them move. Right now, it was mostly done.
Han Ming Yi laid on top the guifei couch and didn't say anything. Hearing Du Xiao Li's silvery voice, lifted his head to glance at her, then afterwards closed his eyes again to rest.
Relying on her acute senses from her past life, Du Xiao Li knew that Han Ming Yi had glanced at her. She returned the cup to Niu Jing and said, "Grandpa Niu, since you still have a guest, I'll just go back first then. See you later grandpa Niu."
After she said this, she turned and left. She then went to the old house to see if there's anything they overlooked.
The house that Du Hai originally built can be considered relatively big in the village. At the time, he'd just came back from out of town, and still had some money in his hands. Du Xiu Heng said, Du Hai didn't want Su Su Xin to live somewhere shabby, so he built such a house.
Today wasn't as busy as yesterday afternoon with moving things. Du Xiao Li stood outside the house and properly studied the house's design. As she studied, she suddenly felt this house was a bit different from the other houses in the village. Rather, it looked a bit structured like those antique houses she saw before in the past up north.
"This was personally designed by mother." Du Xiu Heng came over to Du Xiao Li's side and said.
Du Xiao Li looked to Du Xiu Heng and asked, "Mother is from the north?"
Du Xiu Heng's body suddenly stiffened, then unnaturally said, "Yeah, mother is a northerner. Let's go see if there's still anything that needs to be moved."
Du Xiao Li also felt Du Xiu Heng's unnaturalness, but didn't say anything. She followed him in searching through the courtyard once over and discovered that there was nothing that needed to be moved. The two then finally returned up the mountain.
At noon, they hastily ate a bit wild vegetable porridge. Then, in the afternoon, several villagers came to help repair the house for them.
Everyone all knew that this abandoned house on the mountain was very old, but none really ever came to look at it before. This time, while helping Du Xiu Heng and Du Xiao Li move things up here, they saw this house's state. In the house, there were still some places even now that were still dripping wet. Recalling last time how it rained for several days in succession, and how there will be more rainy days to come, the few farmer men discussed to come over in the afternoon to repair the house for them.
After being busy all afternoon, those holes in the roof were all finally covered up using rice straws. In order to make it a bit sturdier, before spreading on the rice straw, coarse bamboo was used to tie the framework first. Afterwards, had the framework fastened onto the roof on all sides. Lastly, the rice straws were then spread on top.
The rice straws that were originally in the house were all cleared out. Now, there were furnitures everywhere.
After exhausting a whole day, she felt her bones were about to fall apart. But luckily, now there was a bed to sleep in. Du Xiao Li laid in bed and thought to herself.
This house has two rooms. Previously, that other one, because the roof was completely open, wasn't able to be used. Now that the roof is fixed, Du Xiu Heng moved a bed over, and the two siblings each get a room.
Du Xiao Li laid in bed for a while when Du Xiu Heng entered. Seeing Du Xiao Li motionlessly lying in bed, he said, "I'll go cook some porridge. Put up with it for tonight and eat some, okay?"
Last night, after the hare was taken care of, because it was already too late, they only cooked a bit of wild vegetable porridge to eat. Fortunately, yesterday they were able to get back their seasonings and whatnot. Although it was still porridge, at least there were a bit of other flavors now.
Thinking how, with this kind of slightly warm weather, it won't be good for the hare meat to be put out for too long, Du Xiao Li got up and said to Du Xiu Heng, "Big brother, that hare meat, if we don't eat it soon, it will spoil. The mushrooms with also go bad. How about we cook them for tonight?"
"Alright." Du Xiu Heng turned around and went out. By the time Du Xiao Li went out, he'd already taken out the soaked mushrooms from the water jar. After a day of soaking, those previously perfectly bloomed mushrooms were already a bit too bloomed, and that one that hadn't bloomed yesterday was now in perfect bloom.
The wild hare was also taken out and put to the side.
"Big brother, how about let me do?" Du Xiao Li, seeing Du Xiu Heng not knowing what to do, said.
"You know what to do?" Du Xiu Heng knew that his own little sister also didn't enter the kitchen much, so she shouldn't know how to either.
Du Xiao Li took the knife from him and said, "Based of feeling."
With that said, she used the knife to have the wild hare cut into small pieces. Because her current body's strength was rather small, she had no choice but to find the joints between the bones to chop down on. When she finished cutting the meat, she saw a dumbstruck Du Xiu Heng to the side.
She sighed inside. Yesterday, when he saw her kill the wild hare, skin it, then afterwards clean it out, he also had this kind of expression. She looked to the sky, guess it was about to be dark soon. She considered moving a bit faster, otherwise, before the meal is done, the sky will already be dark. Then it would be like yesterday, where they had to light a fire in the courtyard for light. When that time comes, it will be troublesome.
Knowing they will be making stew, after he came back to his sense, Du Xiu Heng went to go start the fire, then placed the pot on the fire, filling it half way with water. And after Du Xiao Li finished cutting the wild hare, she then placed it into the pot.
After which, Du Xiao Li had the mushrooms torn into small piece, and when the wild hare was almost done stewing, had the mushrooms all placed into the pot to cook. Lastly, she added some salt.
"Big brother, it's done." About a
n hour later, Du Xiao Li said as she picked up a piece of hare meat and tasted it.
Du Xiu Heng had the fire completely extinguished and afterwards asked, "How is it, is it good?"
"It's alright." Du Xiao Li said, using the spoon to fill a big bowl of meat and soup for Du Xiu Heng. Afterwards, she filled another bowl for herself. Although they didn't have any fresh ginger, but with salt, this flavor was much better, especially since they also added mushroom to raise the flavor. The taste was worlds apart from the previous wild vegetable porridge they were eating.
Du Xiu Heng took a bite and was immediately drawn in by the taste. He finished all the meat in his bowl, and even drank all the broth too. Afterwards, he even happily ate a second bowl.
Seeing Du Xiu Heng eating that happily despite scalding his mouth, Du Xiu Li couldn't help smiling. This kind of warm and peaceful life was the kind of life she wanted!
T/N: I feel so much heartache for her brother; but I guess it's good thing he's still young and doesn't ask too many questions.
Ch. 009 – Ways to Make Money
Ways to Make Money
The morning of the next day, Du Xiao Li got up from bed, and after a quick wash of her face, she went outside, preparing to make breakfast.
Because Du Xiu Heng was too tired from yesterday, he still hasn't gotten up yet.
She had the sweet potatoes they brought back yesterday peeled with a knife, and then cut into small pieces. Afterwards, using a bamboo steamer, she placed it onto the pot to cook. Soon after, Du Xiu Heng woke up.
"Younger sister, why didn't you wake me?" Du Xiu Heng rubbed his eyes and said.
"I saw that big brother was too tired yesterday and the day before, and wanted to let you sleep some more. The face washing water is in the basin, why don't you go wash your face first." Du Xiao Li said while she added firewood into the temporary fire.